“Each officer was required to attend five parties each,” he added. McGruff the Crime Dog attended some of the parties again this year too, Hinkley said.

Most National Night Out parties included potluck dinners, barbecues and ice cream socials.

Hinkley noted at each stop officers gave out stickers, brochures and temporary tattoos of the department’s police badge. They also allowed party goers to explore police vehicles.

In addition, each party host received gift bags that contained a Milpitas Police Department water bottle and pens with the departmental logo, Hinkley said. Likewise, Milpitas Fire Department personnel with their fire engines were on hand to also meet residents.

In large part, Hinkley said National Night Out parties were a way for police to mingle with residents and for residents to meet their neighbors.

“To get to know each other and build a rapport with each other,” he said, adding it’s also a way for police to push out their message — call 911 if you see something suspicious in your neighborhood. “If you see something, say something. That might be the call that we need to stop a crime, prevent a crime or crack a crime we haven’t been able to solve.”

Meanwhile, as they do each year, another set of neighbors in northern Milpitas held their own National Night Out party on a different day.

“It has been the tradition for our neighbor night out for the neighbors on Cardiff, Canterbury, and Wessex Place to hold it on the first Sunday evening of August, and ours was held last night,” Canterbury Place resident Mike Baker told the Post via email on Monday. “(We) had a good turnout of 33 people.”

Residents interested in hosting a National Night Out neighborhood party in 2018 or in obtaining further information about the event should contact Officer John Muok at (408) 586-2526 or via email at jmuok@ci.milpitas.ca.gov.